Advantages and Disadvantages of Putting a Motor in Your Mirage Drive or Pedal Drive Well on Your Kayak
Almost every major kayak company now offers some form of pedal-drive system in their lineup. Pedal drive kayaks are most popular amongst kayak fishermen who prefer pedaling to paddling because it leaves their hands free to fish.
The opening where these pedal drives usually rest is also a great place to insert a small trolling motor and motorize your kayak. They are typically a wide opening and built well to handle the torque associated with the pedal drives.
Naturally, Bixpy offers a number of options to motorize many kayaks using these drive wells. They are a quick and easy way to insert a motor into a kayak's "belly" without needing to modify the kayak or install a complicated adapter on the kayak.
Like everything else, there are advantages and disadvantages associated with motorizing your kayak through the pedal drive opening:
ADVANTAGES:
●It's extremely easy and quick in most cases to put a motor through your pedal drive adapter well. They have sturdy clip systems, and most offer openings wide enough to accommodate the Bixpy Motors.
●Your kayak motor is accessible. If you hit seaweed, sand, or dirt, you can easily pull out your Bixpy motor and clean it out, clear any debris, and be back on your way quickly.
●Although your Bixpy motor will be stationary, since the motor is sending a stream of water toward your rudder (if you have a kayak rudder), your steering will not be compromised. In fact, you will get excellent steering when you're under motor power in your Bixpy-powered kayak.
DISADVANTAGES:
●The most obvious disadvantage of motorizing your kayak through the pedal drive well is the loss of your pedal drives. You now only have one form of power - either electric motor power on your kayak or human power. Mounting the motor elsewhere will provide you with two sources of power. So you can use the motor as an assist to get further, faster, and stay out longer.
●Having a stationary motor on your kayak certainly increases the chances of hitting something and potentially damaging your motor, adapter, or your kayak. So if you're kayaking in shallow waters, motorizing your kayak through the pedal drive well may not be a great choice.
●Regardless of all else, you still have to carry dead weight. If you choose to replace your pedal drive with a Bixpy motor, you will then have to carry that pedal drive somewhere. And with real estate in short supply on a kayak, this can become a headache. If you decide to swap out your motor with the pedal drive mid-trip, you now have to carry the motor somewhere.
Should I Motorize my Kayak Using the Pedal Drive Well?
All this said, it still leaves the ultimate question: who should and shouldn't motorize their kayak using the pedal drive well??
In short, if you're in deep water, want to get from A to B, don't care about covering a lot of water, and want quick access to your motor, putting a Bixpy motor through your pedal drive opening is an excellent solution.
If you're on longer trips, possibly in shallow water, and have little room to store a motor or your pedal drive then mounting the motor on your kayak's stern or rudder may be a much better choice.
Bixpy sells a number of pedal drive adapters and dry pod adapters that will motorize your kayak in seconds. Here's a short list:
●Mirage Drive Adapters: www.bixpy.com/pedaladapter
●Dry Pod Adapters for BonaFide kayaks: www.bixpy.com/bonapod
●Dry Pod Adapters for FeelFree kayaks: www.bixpy.com/feelpod
●DIY adapter to make your own setup: www.bixpy.com/diypod
If you have other questions or need further assistance with motorizing your kayak with a Bixpy Motor, feel free to reach out to us by email, phone, or through our social media channels.
